Please. Thank you. Don’t slurp your soup. And whatever you do, never say “what” instead of “I beg your pardon.”
This is the kind of etiquette adolescents once took classes to learn.
Something Something Theatre Company’s production of Jeffrey Hatcher’s “Mrs. Mannerly” reminds us of how painful they could be.
The comedy is packed with humor. And poignancy.
Mrs. Mannerly has been teaching kids how to be civilized human beings for years when Jeffrey takes her class. He actually has good manners; his motivation for taking them is to achieve a 100 percent — something no other Mrs. Mannerly student has done in the final test she gives.
Carley Preston took on the role of the very proper (except after a few Scotches) Mrs. Mannerly, and she gave us a steely grande dame with a tender center.
Erin Hepler never once tried to act like a 10-year-old boy, so her Jeffrey came across as genuine. Jasmine Roth had multiple roles — from a young boy with a constantly running nose to a teenaged girl who has discovered her sexuality and enjoys using it. She made us believe each one.
Joan O’Dwyer directed a tight production; it moves swiftly and leaves the audience with a warm glow.
